Telling people you are a poker player

[betgo]

I suppose this is the best forum to post this.

I had played a few home games over 20 years ago, but around June 2003 I started watching poker on TV and decided to try the play money tables online. The play money betting was ridiculous, so I tried playing real money. I lost my first two minimum buyins, but within 2 months of starting play I was making money. Within a year of starting, I was making most of my income from poker. I was a decent chess, go, and backgammon player, so I understand strategy.

Now, I have been in bad shape financially since 2002 due to the collapse of the software job market. Lately, software has recovered, and I could probably get back to making six figures as a programmer, but I think playing poker has more potential and is more enjoyable.

Now when I tell people I play poker, they get all sorts of weird ideas. I guess it is more respectable now than a few years ago. However, people think you have a gambling problem or they think you got lucky and won a big prize.

A lot of people think it is like pool hustling. There used to be gamblers on ocean liners, who were kind of hustler types. In "Rounders", they show some of the stuff that can be pulled, like using false pretenses to get into home games or games at country clubs or businessmen's clubs, where the stakes are much higher in relation to the skill level than games in public cardrooms. However, due to the random element in poker, people are generally more willing to gamble with better players than at pool or chess. Most poker professionals do not need to resort to anything more dishonest than bluffing.

Many people also have an image of poker professionals as rednecks or sleazy or low class. It is a field which doesn't require formal education, so there are a lot of professionals from poor backgrounds. A lot of players did start with other gambling such as pool hustling. However, there are also a lot of chess, backgammon, and bridge player who turn to poker.

How do you think professional poker players are regarded? Has the TV exposure chenged it that much?

[zaxx19]

Lately, software has recovered, and I could probably get back to making six figures as a programmer

I know a few people who program for TOP fortune 500 corporations. Not Microsoft or anthing just IT for very prominent companies. My dad has also worked in the field and is basically a floating director in a huge company.

Are you SURE you could make 6 figures or are you adding health dental 401K matching etc. etc.??

[turnipmonster]

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I know a few people who program for TOP fortune 500 corporations. Not Microsoft or anthing just IT for very prominent companies.

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IT and programming are generally regarded as two different things.

[eastbay]

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Are you SURE you could make 6 figures or are you adding health dental 401K matching etc. etc.??

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Some places like where I live, it would be kind of hard not to, and you'd be getting ripped off if you weren't.

eastbay

[betgo]

I was a contract programmer before the deluge, and can definately make more than $100K in straight cash doing that. I also assume the job market is improving.

[eastbay]

I think the majority of people think it's the following things:

dishonest ("making money by lying")
immoral (everyone knows gambling is evil soul destroying stuff)
a waste of a life (you could be a teacher or a policeman)
an addiction by definition (you drink all the time you're alcoholic, you gamble all the time you're a gambling addict)

There are exceptions, but I think this is the mainstream view.

eastbay

[Boris]

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How do you think professional poker players are regarded?

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I mean honestly, who really gives a shyt? Where is POKERVETERAN when we need him?

[adsman]

When people find out that I play poker, 99% of them roll their eyes and reel off some inane cliche which amounts to a put-down on my chosen hobby, (a hobby that makes money). I used to try and make them understand what poker was really about, but I've given that up as I've come to a realisation.

99% of people in this world are generally incapable of tying their shoelaces in the morning. What the fcuk do I care if they disapprove of my poker playing?

[Loci]

It's easier to call it a hobby... a lucrative hobby... that pays all your bills..... mainstream house/car/kids/dog/picketwhitefence society doesn't give much thought to our "hobby." You don't need their approval, Just do your thing. If you do need their approval, for whatever reason, then tell them the truth... "I'm a professional liar." Then show them by lying about everything past that.
I'm going to be a teacher, but I'm also trying my hand as a writer and a poker player... I am a professional liar.

[robinsons]

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Lately, software has recovered, and I could probably get back to making six figures as a programmer

I know a few people who program for TOP fortune 500 corporations. Not Microsoft or anthing just IT for very prominent companies. My dad has also worked in the field and is basically a floating director in a huge company.

Are you SURE you could make 6 figures or are you adding health dental 401K matching etc. etc.??

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I live in the UK so I have minimal knowledge of the US job market, but equating big companies with big salaries doesn't always follow (unless you are a very senior position in the big company, in which case you are obviously sitting pretty).
I used to hold a senior position (#2 in the company behind the guy who owns it) in a relatively small internet marketing company in the UK (around 15 employees, turnover of ~$5m) and was pulling in around $120k/year before tax, although I've since quit that for personal reasons (fed up of boss, not willing to work 9-6 at this stage of my life).
I now do freelance stuff which comes in ebbs and flows but can easily cover all my expenses working 1 or 2 days per week. This however I want to phase out completely to concentrate on playing poker alone, as even this I find restrictive... sorry for rambling and changing the topic on to me, just thought I'd give me views as there seem to be some similiarities between our position.